Foldable wire book study device



Feb. 14, 1961 ERNST 2,971,286

FOLDABLE WIRE BOOK STUDY DEVICE Filed May 11, 1959 INVENTOR. WILLIAM B. ERNST MZKKKMA HIS ATTORNEY.

res Patent rornissrn wine soon STUDY DEVICE Wi liam B. Ernst, Gwatonna, Minn, assignor to Pro'tecto Mfg."Compariy, Owatonna, Mine, a corporation of Minnesota Filed May 11, 1959,8er. No. 812,399

Claims. (Cl. 45-85) This invention relates to a device for supporting books for study, which can be quickly opened to receive a book, and which will maintain the book in open exposed condition without requiring constant attention from the reader or student, after selected pages of the book have been exposed for reading, but will restrain the half portions of the book from closing on each other.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a book rest for students and general readers, which will support a book in open reading position at an angle to the vertical, without danger of the book being tilted or displaced from the book rest or the book rest being upset on the table or desk.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a book rest which is made up of a rigid wire frame and two members which are swivelled on the legs of the wire frame, and which provide L-shaped forward arms on which the book may be supported in open reading position against the wire frame, and which are further provided with rearwardly projecting brace arms, which are shifted to rearward bracing positions when the members are swung to cause the L-shaped book rest arms to take a forward position, the whole being so arranged that the book rest arms and brace arms can be folded against the wire frame to permit the entire device being placed in the pocket of the coat of a student or other person.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a coupling between the folding rest and brace arms and the legs of the frame, which will maintain tension of the frame legs, so that the rest and brace arms will not swivel too freely.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention relates to certain new and useful constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, clearly described in the following specification and fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is an elevation view, showing the book rest in open book supporting position to permit of easy reading.

Fig. 2 is a plan view, showing the book rest folded.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view, showing the book rest in open book supporting position.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate the practical embodiment of my invention, designates a main frame, which is constructed of a frame member having a top cross bar 11, and end bars 12 and 13, integral with the top bar it. The end bar 12 is formed with a portion 12a which is disposed, as shown, about at right angles to the bar 11, and is then bent at 125 inwardly to provide a diagonal bar portion 120, which is again bent at 12d to provide a leg bar 12c, which is disposed at right angles to the top cross bar 111, and spaced inwardly from the end bar portion 12a by the diagonal intermediate portion 120. The lower end of the leg bar 12a is provided with a foot cap 12], which may be rubber, plastic or any other material.

The end bar 13 is constructed in duplication of the end bar 12, and is thus provided with an upper right angular portion 13a, a diagonal intermediate portion 13b, and a lower leg portion 13c, having a terminal foot cap 13d thereon. The leg bars 12c and l3e are of equal lengths, and are connected to each other by a cross bar '14, which has its ends welded to the upper portions of the leg bars. The two leg bars are disposed in parallel relation to each other, and the entire frame is made so that it lies in a single plane.

On the leg bar 12c a helical or twisted wire coil 15 is mounted, so that it exerts a moderate frictional pressure against this leg bar. The lower end of the wire coil or helix 15 is formed with a book rest arm 15a, which is L-shaped, so as to provide a short horizontal bar portion 15b and an upright bar portion 150, the upper end of which is provided with a protective cap 15:1. The horizontal portion 15b is disposed at right angles to the helix 15' and the leg bar 123.

The leg bar Us is provided with another wire helix 16a, snugly mounted thereon, and the lower end of this helix is formed with a book rest arm 16!), of L-shaped, which thus provides a right angular bar portion 160, disposed at right angles to the leg bar 13c and to the helix 16a, and an upright bar portion 16d, having a protective cap 166 thereon.

The unit thus described is maintained in an inclined relation to the table or desk used by the student, by means of a brace arm 17, formed on the lower end of the helix 15, which projects from the helix at less than a right angle so as to engage the surface the table or desk rearwardly of the frame 10, when the same is disposed for supporting a book for study or reading. The rear end of the brace arm 17 is provided with a protective cap 17a.

The lower end of the helix 16a is provided with an other brace arm 18, which projects from the helix in less than a right angular relation thereto, so as to extend rearwardly of the frame it), in the same angular relation as the brace arm 17, and the brace arm 18 is provided with a protective cap 18a.

In the book service relations shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the frame 10 is supported at a rising incline by the leg bars He and 13a of the main frame It), and by the brace arms 17 and 18. The L-shaped book rest arm 15a and the L-shaped book rest arm 16b perform the double function of providing a shelf support for the lower end of the book, and of restraining the book from closing on itself when displayed on the book rest arms in a reading position. The upright bar portions 150 and 16c in the relation shown in Figs. 1 and 3, act as vertical stops to restrain the half portions of the opened book.

In the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a book may be placed on the book rest arms and its pages studied, and when it is desired to turn a page, the book is lifted above the upright stop fingers or bars of the L-shaped rest arms, the page is turned and then the book is replaced on the rest arms.

But when it is desired to remove the study aid from the table or desk, the book rest arms may be swung outwardly as shown in Fig. 2, thus bringing the brace arms 17 and 18 into diagonal overlapping engagement with each other between the leg bars of the main frame, so that the unit is now completely collapsed on itself, and may in this condition be slipped into a coat pocket, or placed in a students carrying case or bag, or in a drawer or other convenient storage container.

In each case the helix of each leg bar exerts enough spring pressure on the leg bar to prevent excessive swivel them when in a folded condition, so as to make the unit available for supporting a book for reading or study.

The spring pressure exerted by the helical couplings on the leg bars serves to hold the brace arms against accidental displacement from their rearward positions,

shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and also to permit the radial adjustment of the book rest L-shaped arms, so that books of various thickness may be held against the main frame, with the open half portions of the supported book disposed as nearly as flat as possible to permit of rapid reading and provide for nearly equal full display of all printed matter on the open pages of the book.

The entire unit is constructed of three wire parts, and the book rest and brace arms are coupled to the leg bars of the main frame by means of spring helical coils, which grip the leg bars and provide a dependable radial adjustment of the book rest and brace arms relative to the main frame, and also to hold all parts in their folded condition without accidentally opening on each other.

The invention herein disclosed is-now in commercial production and users have expressed satisfaction from the service obtained by actual use.

The helical coupling coils also provide a quick and inexpensive means for assembling the rest and brace arms on the leg bars of the main frame, and this contributes to the production of a unit which can be sold at a lowered price.

It is understood that various changes in the details of construction, their combination and arrangement may be carried out, within the scope of the invention, defined by the claims hereof, without departing from the scope of the invention so defined.

Having described my invention I claim as patent-able:

l. A book supporting device, comprising a main frame formed of wire and having leg bars spaced apart from each other on the lower end thereof, a spring helical coupling having a pressure fit with each leg bar to swing thereon, the lower end of each helical coupling having an L-shaped book rest arm and the upper end of each coupling having a rearwardly extendable brace arm, whereby the main frame may be supported on a horizontal support and a book in open condition engaged with the book rest arms may be restrained in its open condition against the main frame and thereby made available for reading the printed pages of the book.

2. A book supporting device to aid in reading and study, comprising a frame formed of wire to engage the outer side 'of a book having a pair of spaced apart legs, a book rest arm of L-shaped construction swivelled on one of said legs to project forwardly of the frame, a book rest arm of L-shaped construction swivelled on the other leg to project forwardly of the frame, and a brace arm carried by eachbook rest arm which may be disposed rearwardly of the frame to support the frame in upright position.

3. A book study device, comprising a main frame formed of Wire and having dependent legs spaced apart from each other, an L-shaped book rest arm having a brace arm projecting downwardly therefrom for each leg, and a spring helical coil connectingeach said book rest arm and brace arm to its leg, whereby the book rest arms may be radially adjusted on said legs to vary the distance between the book rest arms and the main frame to accommodate books of various thicknesses.

4. A folding rack for supporting an open book in a rearwardly inclined position for reading and formed from a plurality of lengths of wire, said rack comprising an inverted, generally U-shaped main frame for supporting the back of the book and having an elongated upper bar and a pair of opposed downwardly extending vertical legs formed with intermediate sections which are inclined diagonally inwardly, a horizontal brace connecting said legs intermediate their ends, and supplemental frames pivotally carried at the lower ends of said legs, each of said frames comprising a central helical section through which the leg passes, an upper section extending substantially at right angles to the axis of the helical section which forms an easel support when it is swung rearwardly of the main frame, each of said pivoted frames also having a lower, L-shaped section lying in the same plane as the upper section and providing a support for the lower edge of the book, the horizontal portion of said lower section being of such length as to extend substantially to a point co-extensive with the upper leg section of the main frame when said pivoted frame is rotated to the same plane as the main frame, the helical sections having a fit with their pivot elements as to restrain free rotation.

5. A folding rack for supporting an open book in a rearwardly inclined position for reading and formed from a plurality of lengths of wire, said rack comprising an inverted, generally U-shaped main frame for supporting the back of the book and having an elongated upper bar and a pair of opposed downwardly extending gen erally vertical legs whose lower ends are substantially parallel and are spaced apart a lesser distance than the upper ends, and supplemental frames pivotally carried at said lower ends of the legs, each of said frames comprising a central helical section through which the leg passes, an upper section extending substantially at right angles to the axis of the helical section which forms an easel support when it is swung rearwardly of the main frame, each-of said pivoted frames also having a lower, L-shaped section lying in the same plane as the upper section and providing a support for the lower edge of the book, the horizontal portion of said lower section being of such length as to extend substantially to a point coextensive with the upper leg section of the main frame when said pivoted frame is rotated to the same plane as the main frame, the helical sections having a fit with their pivot elements as to restrain free rotation.

Clark Apr. 23, 1870 Harris Aug. 29, 1911 

